Off-duty police officer wounded in attempt to thwart robbery

An off-duty Chicago police officer and another man were shot and wounded Friday night during an attempted robbery in a Northwest Side tavern, police said.

Police Officer Lawrence King, 52, was leaving the men's room when he attempted to thwart a robbery in progress in the Blind Duck tavern at 4219 W. Lawrence Ave., said Police Department spokeswoman Alice Casanova.

King, who was unarmed, "attempted to disarm an offender" and was shot in the abdomen, Casanova said. A 26-year-old male patron of the tavern was shot in the wrist. Both were in fair condition early Saturday in Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to a hospital spokesman.

King, a member of the Chicago police force for 15 years who was assigned to the Jefferson Park District tactical team, also was struck on the head in the scuffle.

Preliminary reports indicated at least three robbers entered the tavern and one of them jumped over the bar. All of them fled after the shooting, and Casanova said it was unknown whether they took any money.